


The Unimaginable

by dragonwings948



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Audio 101: Absolution (Big Finish), Canonical Character Death, Crying, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Feels, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Audio 101: Absolution (Big Finish), Sad, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:08:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25322881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonwings948/pseuds/dragonwings948
Summary: What if the Doctor had let Charley grieve at the end of Absolution?
Relationships: C'rizz & Charley Pollard, Eighth Doctor & C'rizz & Charley Pollard, Eighth Doctor & Charley Pollard
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	The Unimaginable

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry

The TARDIS no longer felt like home.

The Doctor wasn’t rattling off nonsense. The TARDIS wasn’t thrumming with life. The engines weren’t roaring.

Everything was still. Everything was wrong.

It was still sinking in, the fact that something was absent. Some _one._

She’d never talk to him again. She’d never laugh as he changed his skin to match her favourite colour. She’d never listen to him tell her tales of his home. She’d never hear him ask a silly question about something commonplace on Earth.

She’d never see him again.

_Oh, god._

She sank to the floor, only vaguely aware that she was on the carpet by the Doctor’s reading chair. She put a hand to her mouth like she could stop the inevitable, but a sob came forth anyway.

And that was it.

In a moment it was like a dam had burst as her tears flowed down her cheeks in torrents. The pain was unbearable, like someone had stabbed her in the chest, like a hole had been punched straight through her stomach. She’d never known that she was capable of shedding so many tears, but they just kept coming as if they’d never stop.

The world dissolved around her. Charley saw herself knocking on his door and walking into his room to keep him company. Then she was in the library, reading him her favourite books.

_Sis._

Her throat hurt so badly that she wondered if she’d screamed. It all felt like a dream and stark reality at the same time.

Then there was an anchor, a presence behind her. Arms wrapped around her waist. She turned into the Doctor’s chest, grabbing hold of his lapels, and continued to cry.

“Charley, Charley,” the Doctor murmured. “I’m so sorry.”

She didn’t have a reply. There was nothing she could say, nothing she could do. None of it would bring him back.

She wasn’t sure how long they sat there. Minutes? Hours? Days? After an eternity her tears finally dried. Her head pounded and her throat was raw.

The Doctor started to move, but Charley held onto him desperately. “Doctor,” she choked out.

“I’m just going to get you some tea and a handkerchief.”

“That’s your answer for everything, isn’t it? Tea?” she snapped.

“Charley.” It wasn’t a reprimand, but a comfort; a warm blanket. It was _“I understand.”_

“I’m—I’m sorry.” Another sob forced its way through her lips. “I—I just—“

“Shhh, Charley. I know.”

Somehow, more tears began to flow.

“Shall I get up, or do you still want me here?”

“Here.” The tears were returning in full force now and Charley barely forced out, “Please don’t leave me.”

“Never, Charley.” He pulled her back to his chest and pressed a firm kiss to her hair. “Never.”


End file.
